Rob Ryan told reporters in Dallas today that the cancer is in his father's glands and spread to his neck. Buddy has been diagnosed with cancer four times previously. Ron said the latest diagnosis came just last week.

"He's beaten it every time," Rob Ryan said of his father, 77.

The surgery will take place Sept. 15 in Kentucky, where Buddy lives on a horse farm.

"He’ll get his cancer taken out after [the game]," Rob said. "That’s just the way it is. It’s a big thing for him. It’s a big thing for the Ryans.”

Rob Ryan said it would not be difficult to focus on the game, given his father's condition.

“This is all he taught us is to do the job and that’s just the way he is. So it’s not that difficult," he said. "Obviously, we’re praying a lot for him and things have to go well because that’s what it is. But he raised us to do the job and whatever we do we’re going to be the best at it and that’s what we are.”